The launch of the multigame compilationSonic Originsis right around the corner, but today veteran fans are gobsmacked by a piece of news that hit them like a smooth criminal. The original soundtrack forSonic 3 & Knuckleswon’t be featured in the game.
Sonic the Hedgehog social media manager Katie Chrzanowski confirmed the tidbit in a post-Summer Game Festlivestream on Thursday. She said that the soundtrack from the classic Sonic game is being reproduced by none other than Sonic music composer and Crush 40 guitarist Jun Senoue.
“While unfortunately we can’t use all of the original sounds from the Sega Genesis version of the game, Jun Senoue has been working really hard to adapt the original music that was composed in 1993 forOrigins,” Chrzanowski said. “He’s going so far as reproducing it, with the same sound chip from the Sega Genesis, and using his own digital audio tape collection to make this as faithful to the originals as possible.”
New:@SEGA's@KatieChrzon Sonic 3 & Knuckles' partially adapted soundtrack in#SonicOrigins:
📢 "We can't use all of the original sounds [from S3&K]. Jun Senoue has been working really hard to adapt the original music that was composed in 1993 for Origins,"#SonicNewspic.twitter.com/7va4T76QdZ
— Tails' Channel, celebrating 16 years (@TailsChannel)August 03, 2025
Sonic 3 & Knucklesstarted Senoue’s music career with the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise upon its release in 1994, but he wasn’t well-known until he formed Crush 40 to compose tracks forSonic Adventurefour years later. But the real reason for the game’s soundtrack being recreated forOriginsmay have to do with Michael Jackson’s rumored involvement.
Sonic fans knew that the late King of Pop composed the soundtrack forSonic 3 & Knucklesbecause the melody and chord sequence in the track that played during the ending credits sounded similar to his singleStranger in Moscow, which wasn’t released until 1995. While it was confirmed that Jackson did in fact compose the music for the game, Segasaid he left the project after child sexual abuse allegations made headlines, while the singer said he left because he was dissatisfied with the limitations of the Genesis’ sound chip. Musical director Brad Buxer said that Jackson’s music remained in the game, but he was left uncredited.
